Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Government subsidization negotiates better prices than the free market system.

In the free market system consumers are gouged by price and quality on a regular bases just because they don’t know the true cost and company’s bottom line.

Governments have the information that gets them the lower price.

Welfare debit cards should be issued to people on the government dole to make sure that tax dollars are being spent on the right things.

The welfare debit card should have reduced prices that the companies negotiated previously with the government that would come out of the government account.

What do you think?

Angstrom

Liberal

#2

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Good idea on paper. How that translate in reality could get messy.
Good Idea's are usually the simple one's. This gets complicated fast.

captain morgan

Bloc Québécois

#3

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

The idea could work if the gvt was capable/interested in negotiating these deals with some major, national retailers.

I think that it might be harder than anticipated though

bill barilko

+1

#4

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Quote:

What do you think?

Do landlords take debit?

This is the most idiotic idea I've seen in months.

taxslave

No Party Affiliation

+4

#5 Top Rated Post

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Actually the concept is good but probably unworkable and wind up costing far more in the end simply because of the bureaucracy. What small savings there would be on food and medicine would just wind up in solid gold pension plans for government employees.
Landlords don't have to take debit cards. They can be paid direct from Welfare. This is the only way to guarantee that you get paid.

Ron in Regina

Free Thinker

#6

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by taxslave

Actually the concept is good but probably unworkable and wind up costing far more in the end simply because of the bureaucracy. What small savings there would be on food and medicine would just wind up in solid gold pension plans for government employees.
Landlords don't have to take debit cards. They can be paid direct from Welfare. This is the only way to guarantee that you get paid.

....& I can see Canada Post doing a crash & burn without Govt cheques to deliver helping
to keep them afloat. Money saved in using debit cards instead of mailing out cheques can
be funneled directly to Canada Post to keep their doors open.

Personally, I like the idea of debit cards instead of cheques in this instance. Debit cards
with no fee per transaction and no ability to pull cash off of them. Infrastructure updates
needed would be POS terminals installed on public transit & taxi's, etc...interesting concept.

lone wolf

Free Thinker

+3

#7

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

I think the debit card thing is great for people who have cheated the system. Post office is already losing out to automatic deposits.

bill barilko

#8

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by lone wolf

Post office is already losing out to automatic deposits.

I just checked online-the BC gubmint already does direct deposit for welfare cheques so what would be gained by using debit cards?

taxslave

No Party Affiliation

#9

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by bill barilko

I just checked online-the BC gubmint already does direct deposit for welfare cheques so what would be gained by using debit cards?

I think they would work more along the lines of the old food vouchers that the apologists decided was demeaning to the poor since they could only be used at the grocery store and could not be legally cashed in. Apparently welfare recipients have the right to blow our money at the liquor store and the local dealer and then go back and demand emergency funds for food.

Ron in Regina

Free Thinker

+1

#10

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by bill barilko

I just checked online-the BC gubmint already does direct deposit for welfare cheques so what would be gained by using debit cards?

A legal challenge maybe, based on debit cards leaving a purchasing trail as an invasion
of privacy or something upon those receiving Govt funding? I can see Tony Merchant
getting in on the ground floor in a class action lawsuit against the federal government
on this one.

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by petros

On which planet?

In which city well Toronto one city and when one major landlord starts soon most will do it.

Quote: Originally Posted by Ron in Regina

A legal challenge maybe, based on debit cards leaving a purchasing trail as an invasion
of privacy or something upon those receiving Govt funding? I can see Tony Merchant
getting in on the ground floor in a class action lawsuit against the federal government
on this one.

It should be a good challenge since welfare money is for specific uses like food and shelter.

Quote: Originally Posted by bill barilko

I just checked online-the BC gubmint already does direct deposit for welfare cheques so what would be gained by using debit cards?

Debit cards makes sure the money is being spent on what it was given for.

petros

#14

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Liberalman

In which city well Toronto one city and when one major landlord starts soon most will do it.It should be a good challenge since welfare money is for specific uses like food and shelter.

Most welfare people don't live in commercial hi-rises run by massive property manangement companies.

Ron in Regina

Free Thinker

#15

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Liberalman

In which city well Toronto one city and when one major landlord starts soon most will do it.

You own (lets say) one duplex. That's two rental units. You know the Govt is
going to claw in a large %'age of that rental revenue just 'cuz they can, and you
are going to set up a debit terminal in your kitchen, or a portable one that you rent
for the two (or maybe even one?) transactions that you might do each month?

I'm not thinking about the corperations that have hundreds or thousands of units,
but the thousands of people that have five or less rental units.

Liberalman

#16

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by petros

Most welfare people don't live in commercial hi-rises run by massive property manangement companies.

Property management companies run the slum buildings as well and welfare debit cards get money to the managers faster

Quote: Originally Posted by Ron in Regina

You own (lets say) one duplex. That's two rental units. You know the Govt is
going to claw in a large %'age of that rental revenue just 'cuz they can, and you
are going to set up a debit terminal in your kitchen, or a portable one that you rent
for the two (or maybe even one?) transactions that you might do each month?

I'm not thinking about the corperations that have hundreds or thousands of units,
but the thousands of people that have five or less rental units.

Then the government would have a phone in number so the landlord can validate the debit card

Ron in Regina

Free Thinker

#17

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Liberalman

Property management companies run the slum buildings as well and welfare debit cards get money to the managers faster
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Then the government would have a phone in number so the landlord can validate the debit card

Some, not all. Property managers take what? 10% off the top...on top of what the Govt
takes...which makes them a luxury that those with only a few units might not be able to
afford. So really, if you has a rental house/shack/shed in the hood that you rent out for
$900 a month, and you lose 40% of that to Govt & a Property Manager, and have only
a freak'n letter from the welfare office in place of a damage deposit...that leaves the
profit margin pretty skinny at best when things go south with damages, ect...

It's not so cut and dried, and the 10% or whatever a property manager would take would
be the breaking point for many folks with only a few (or one) rental properties. Something
else (like direct deposit directly to the Landlords by govt) would have to take place.

Liberalman

#18

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Ron in Regina

Some, not all. Property managers take what? 10% off the top...on top of what the Govt
takes...which makes them a luxury that those with only a few units might not be able to
afford. So really, if you has a rental house/shack/shed in the hood that you rent out for
$900 a month, and you lose 40% of that to Govt & a Property Manager, and have only
a freak'n letter from the welfare office in place of a damage deposit...that leaves the
profit margin pretty skinny at best when things go south with damages, ect...

It's not so cut and dried, and the 10% or whatever a property manager would take would
be the breaking point for many folks with only a few (or one) rental properties. Something
else (like direct deposit directly to the Landlords by govt) would have to take place.

Welfare is taxpayer money and debit cards would save money and make sure the money goes to where it is intended to go if that is not enough then the welfare person can get a job and get off the government dole

damngrumpy

No Party Affiliation

+1

#19

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Alright not all is bad with this idea. The problem is we have a free market system and
customers can shop where they like. If you start a two price system there are all kinds
of issues that arise.
Now we could ensure that the money was being spent wisely and certain items could be
made off limits, booze and smokes are the targets of choice right now. There are a lot
of different programs when it comes to welfare some governments make rent payments
direct these days.
On the other hand those doing drugs would in turn sell the cards on the black market to
acquire drugs so we may not know the people who are actually purchasing the products
on the card.
If these problems could be addressed it might prove to be an advantage.

petros

#20

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 25th, 2012

Debit cards for welfare means I could buy groceries or trade them for booze from the Welly recipents. Sweeeeet. GREAT IDEA

Niflmir

Free Thinker

#21

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 26th, 2012

Cheques are dated inventions that should have been dropped a decade before the chip was put on debit cards.

If your landlord gives you a voided cheque, you can take the transit information from the bottom of it and set up a wire transfer. For unknown reasons, Canadian banks will charge you $14 for saving them the trouble of handling the cheque. Probably has to do with the ludicrous notion of upselling people on a chequing account.

In Europe, people will freely give their account number to one another, because there are actual security measures protecting the account (hiding your account number is not security). I was wiring money from a German bank account into the account my my landlord in the Netherlands and not paying a cent for it, now I have an account in the Netherlands and I still do not pay a cent to transfer the money.

Don't have internet? Every bank in the Netherlands has a computer in the branch for you to do your online banking free of charge.

jwmcq625

+1

#22

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 26th, 2012

Before we go there, how about we require mandatory drug-testing in order to receive welfare payments? We have numerous occupations in this country that requires employees to submit to random drug-testing just to keep their jobs, so why should these drug-free employees have to subsidize those who would rather just get high, instead of actually getting a job and contributing to society, instead of just taking from it?

Maybe it's time that those on welfare are made accountable for the money they recieve. First off, their rent payments should be directed directly to their landlords to insure they have a roof over their heads, instead of spending on their addiction of choice. Anyone of working age who is deemed to be disabled and cannot work should have to attend an independent, government paid physician to determine that they in fact have a condition that makes them unemployable. If tehy are in fact deemed as unemployable, then so be it, but for those taht will ultimately be deemed to be playing a game, should be on their own, and required to get a job, and support themselves.

Chev

No Party Affiliation

-1

#23

Re: Welfare Debit Cards Instead Of Cheques.

Nov 26th, 2012

Error in thread

I suspect there are probably more government cheques of every level/type being direct deposited than being mailed. (As far as Canada Post doing a crash & burn, personally I’m not concerned, I work at an outlet and CPC gives us a daily sales target, we meet or exceed every day, mostly through special deliveries and parcel mailings).Ron’s comment: “…updates needed would be POS terminals installed’… food delivery drivers, AMA drivers, locksmiths, etc. have debit/credit machines; I’d be surprised if cabbies don’t. Bus/LRT terminals probably do too. (like parking lot meter or gas pumps? Pay in advance).Landlords/property management companies; if they take debit or not?? Tenants with debit card, go get a money order. Money orders don’t ‘bounce’ either. We go through at least 150 money orders every month for tenants rent payments. Property management companies also run walk-ups.Says Liberalman “ Landlords do take debit. Debit cards makes sure the money is being spent on what it was given for.” How do debit cards make sure the money is spent on what it was given for???